Movable screen assembly

ABSTRACT

A movable support panel assembly for hanging and supporting articles is of modular construction provided by a number of modules within an outer rectangular frame. Each module has a panel for supporting the articles, and the outer frame has roller supports at the bottom for moving the assembly on the floor and guides at the side edges for extending into stationary overhead tracks. The guides may be retracted so that the assembly may be moved to positions which are not under the track. For such movements an outrigger transporter assembly is attached to each end of the screen.

United States Patent Robert C. Dickgiesser Woodland Drive, Woodbridge,Conn. 06905;

Edward L. Schulz, 274 Ridgefield Road, Wilton, Conn. 06897 App]. No.794,630

Filed Jan. 28, 1969 Patented Mar. 16, 197] Inventors MOVABLE SCREENASSEMBLY 9 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

U.S. C1 211/162, 40/129, 52/64, 52/143, 52/710, 211/184 Int. Cl.. A47f5/00 Field of Search 21 l/162,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,303,984 5/1919 Stow et al.49/130 2,076,848 4/1937 Keiver 21l/162X 2,812,069 11/1957 Trammell. 21l/l62 3,360,136 12/1967 Ain 211/162 Primary ExaminerRamon S. BrittsAtt0rneySughrue, Rothwell, Mion, Zinn & Macpeak ABSTRACT: A movablesupport panel assembly for hanging and supporting articles is of modularconstruction provided by a number of modules within an outer rectangularframe. Each module has a panel for supporting the articles, and theouter frame has roller supports at the bottom for moving the assembly onthe floor and guides at the side edges for extending into stationaryoverhead tracks. The guides may be retracted so that the assembly may bemoved to positions which are not under the track. For such movements anoutrigger transporter assembly is attached to each end of the screen.

PATENTED m1 6 ISYI SHEEI 1 [IF 2 PATENTEDMARYBIQYI I 3570 683 sum 2 or 2MOVABLE SCREEN ASSEMBLY BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention This invention relates to improvements in movable supportpanel assemblies of the slidable rolling type for hanging or supportingarticles, including guides for moving the assembly under a stationarytrack and removable outriggers for moving the assembly when not guidedby the track.

2. Description ofthe Prior Art I There is known in the prior art variousarrangements for supportingand displaying articles on a large flatsurface in which the supporting surface is suspended or hung from aboveon parallel roller-track assemblies so that the articles may either bestored in close relation to each other or pulled from the storageposition on the track for viewing. Because the overhead roller-trackassembly supports the entire weight of the frame plus the supportedarticles, utilization of this construction creates structural problemswith the overhead support.

It is also known in the art to provide movable selfstanding wallpartitions with removable adjustable dollies therefor. However, thesepartitions are structurally complicated and not in the nature of simplescreens and do not follow a guided track.

Further, it is known in the art to provide a display device with asupport for supporting it from below and a guide for guiding itfromabove; Such devices, however, again are not in the nature of ascreen and have no provision for moving away from the track.

In the prior art, the larger the frame the greater the number ofintermediate. projection vertical supports creating interference withthe support of large objects.

There is an unfulfilled need in the art to provide a panel assemblysuitable for supporting variousobjects. For example, there is a need tosupport the articles for storage in relatively close quarters allowingthe articles to be removed from storage position for viewing and furthermoved to additional areas away from the storage position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a movable assembly ofmodular panels (eliminating large intermediate support projections) forsupporting orhanging various objects which is less expensive than thoseof the known art while utilizing available materials. The entire weightof the movable assembly plus the hung objects is supported by rollersresting on the floor which makes it easier and simpler to move, and isguided by an overhead track acting as a direction guide only viaretractable guides extending upwardly above the top of the assembly.Installation is not restricted by roof height or allowable roof loads.The assembly can be removed from the confinement of the guide track andplaced on Outriggers attached to its ends for easy movement to otherlocations. The assembly is constructed from a number of modules within arectangular frame permitting economical manufacture as well as ease inhandling and shipping the components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of themovable support panel assembly of this invention in its track-guidedposition.

FIG. 2 is a detailed sectional elevation taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a detailed sectional elevation taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a detailed sectional elevation taken along line 4-4 of FIG. I.

FIG. 5 is an end elevation with the guide illustrating the retraction'ofthe guide from the track.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an end of the screen and an outrigger.

FIG. 7 is an end elevation view of the outrigger.

FIG. is a side elevation view of the outrigger.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A movable support panel assembly10 as shown in FIG. 1 is useful for hanging or supporting objects fordisplay and. for other purposes. It is possible that the assembly ofthis invention would be used with a number of other similar assembliesand normally kept in a storage position with the assembly relativelyclose to each other as determined by the supported articles, Forinspecting one support panel assembly briefly it could be pulled fromits supported position and guided by a track above while being supportedfrom below. However, the

assembly may be equipped with outriggers so that it can be completelyremoved from the track.

The construction of the movable assembly 10 includes a number of modularpanels 12 each having a panel or screen surface 14 ofidenticaldimensions. The panel or screen surface 14 may be stamped orperforated metal, solid metal, wood, plywood, cork, plastic or expandedwelded or woven metal screening or mesh, and other rigid materialsregardless of thickness.

The individual panels may be factory or field assembled, and aresupported in their own frame made up of beams 16 having an I-Lshapedsection as shown in FIG. 3 or channelshaped beams 18 shown in FIG. 2 attheir outer edges. This assembly of modular panels is then placed withinan outer frame 20 which provides the outside support for the fullyassembled panels. The vertical and horizontal channels of the outsidesupport are butted or mitered at their corners to permit. a smoothfinish and are locked to the panels by suitable known means.

The supportpanel assembly 10 is equipped for movement by a supportroller assembly 22 shown in more detail in FIG. 4.

This support roller assembly is made up of a pair of angle rails- 24 and26 secured together by a nut and bolt 28,30 and spaced apart by a spacersleeve 32 which also provides the level of support and horizontalalignment of the screen assembly 10. A pair of outer support wheels orrollers 34 and 36- tions as shown in FIG. 1. Other wheel arrangementsincluding a three wheel assembly with middle wheel acting as a spacercould be used. The wheel arrangements provide a double clamp of theangle rails against the bottom rail of the assembled panel or screen.Obviously, the support roller assembly can be removed from the modularscreen assembly by removing the nut bolt 28 and 30 and slipping it off.The top surface of rails 24, 26 can be utilized as a support shelf forvery large or heavy objects.

The movable panel assembly 10 is guided from above for example by astationary overhead guide track 42. The guide track 42 is channel shapedwith outwardly flaring edges M as shown for example in FIGS. 2 and 5 toassist in guiding the track wheels into the tracks upon the raising ofguide shaft 50.

The movable panel assembly carries a guide assembly 46 at each endthereof as shown in FIG. l'The guide assembly is shown in more detail inFIGS. 2 and 5 and includes a guide roller rotatably journaled on anactuator shaft 50. The actuator shaft 50 extends through an upper guidecollar 52 having an oversized hole 54 therein with relation to the 142diameter of the shaft 50. A lower guide shaft support 56 has a blindshaft support hole 58 therein. As can be seen with reference to FIG. 5,the guide roller 48 can be placed in position by manually moving theshaft 50 upwardly and placing its lower end into blind hole 5%. Todisengage the guide roller, the shaft 50 is moved up until the end ofthe shaft clears the blind hole 58 (to the upper of the two phantom linepositions in FIG. 5) and then is swung sideways and dropped to the fullline position shown in FIG. 5. The oversized hole 54 allows thismovement of the shaft 59. Other suitable known means could be utilizedfor retracting and latching the guide assembiy.

For transporting the movable screen assembly from one position toanother when it is no longer guided by the guide rail 42 there isprovided a transporter assembly or outrigger dolly 60, one for each endof the screen 10. This outrigger dolly 60 includes a baseplate 62 havinga sunken central portion 64 carrying a pair of angle irons 66 and 68spaced apart to provide a central slot 70 for receiving the bottom ofthe assembly as shown for example in FIGS. 6 and 7. The front end of theangle bars include bolt holes 72 for cooperating with holes 74 in thescreen assembly for securing the outrigger after it is in position.

The dolly 60 also includes an end plate 76 and upwardly extending armsor braces 78 and 80 each of which is secured to a flange 82 at thebaseplate and a flange 84 attached to each side of a connecting piece86. A hole 88 through the connecting piece functions the bolt hole andcooperates with hole 90 in the frame of as a assembly 10.

A pair of caster wheel assemblies 92 is provided on each transporterdolly and is shown in FIG. 7. Each wheel assembly includes a wheel 94 ina yoke 96 mounted on a threaded shank or stem 98. This stem is threadedin a nut 100 secured to the baseplate 62. A handle 102 is provided forthe threaded shank so that the raised position of the base plate 62above the floor can be adjusted. To install the dolly, the dolly ismoved in position, a bolt or pin is placed through holes 72 and 74 afterwhich the wheels are raised by turning handles 102, bolts or securingpins are then placed through holes 88 and 90. The dollies can be used totransport the assembly to any position outside the guide track. Evenwhen guided, however, the entire weight of the assembly 10 and thesupported objects are resting on the floor and home by the rollers. Theoverhead track 42 acts as a directional guide only. This constructionallows the assembly 10 to be removed from the confinement of theoverhead guide track 42 and placed on the transporters 60 for movementto other locations.

The modular design and fabrication permits economical manufacture aswell as case in handling and shipping of the components. Furthermore thepanel assembly construction permits the unrestricted use of panel fillermaterials. The Outriggers or transporters can support the full panelassembly including any supported weight without tipping and theconstruction is such that the outrigger may be attached withoutsubstantial effort or exertion on the part of the operator to allow easymovement over reasonably level floors in any direction.

Obviously, variations may be made within the spirit and scope of thisinvention including the specific construction of the transporters oroutrigger dollies, and the other assemblies mentioned above. it

We claim:

1. A movable support panel assembly for hanging and displaying articles,said support panel assembly being adapted to cooperate with a stationaryoverhead guide track and comprising in combination:

a plurality of panel modules each including a panel having a surfacecapable of supporting the articles and a frame member to hold theperipheral edges thereof,

an outer frame of the shape to hold a plurality of assembled panelmodules to provide a unitary assembly,

a support roller assembly attached to a bottom edge of the outer frame,

a guide attached to and extending above the top of the outer frame andbeing receivable within the stationary overhead guide track, said guidebeing retractable from the track so that the support panel assembly maybe moved to a position away from the track, and

a movable transporter assembly attachable to the outer frame tofacilitate movement of the support panel assembly away from the track.

2. A support panel assembly as in claim 1 wherein the guide includes aroller on a shaft movable vertically from a position to engage ordisengage from the stationary overhead guide track.

3. A support panel assembly as in claim 1 wherein the transporterassembly includes a base extending outwardly from the sides of thesupport panel assembly and mounting ad ustable wheels thereon, the basebeing attachable to the bottom of the outer frame.

4. A support panel assembly as in claim 1 wherein the support rollerassembly is formed from a pair of rails secured together in spacedrelation and sandwiching the bottom of the outer frame while alsoproviding a support for rollers carried thereby.

5. A support panel assembly as in claim 1 wherein the stationary trackhas outwardly flaring bottom edges.

6. A support panel assembly as in claim 1 wherein the outer frame andframe members include channel shaped holding portions so that there areno substantial lateral projections of the frames from the support panelfaces.

7. A support panel assembly as in claim 1 wherein the guide comprises aroller mounted on a shaft that is vertically movable on said outerframe.

8. A support panel assembly as in claim 1 wherein a pair of transporterassemblies are removably secured to the outer frame at opposite sidesthereof.

9. A support panel assembly as in claim 3 wherein the transporterassembly further includes a pair of upwardly extending braces adapted tobe secured to the side of the outer frame.

1. A movable support panel assembly for hanging and displaying articles,said support panel assembly being adapted to cooperate with a stationaryoverhead guide track and comprising in combination: a plurality of panelmodules Each including a panel having a surface capable of supportingthe articles and a frame member to hold the peripheral edges thereof, anouter frame of the shape to hold a plurality of assembled panel modulesto provide a unitary assembly, a support roller assembly attached to abottom edge of the outer frame, a guide attached to and extending abovethe top of the outer frame and being receivable within the stationaryoverhead guide track, said guide being retractable from the track sothat the support panel assembly may be moved to a position away from thetrack, and a movable transporter assembly attachable to the outer frameto facilitate movement of the support panel assembly away from thetrack.
 2. A support panel assembly as in claim 1 wherein the guideincludes a roller on a shaft movable vertically from a position toengage or disengage from the stationary overhead guide track.
 3. Asupport panel assembly as in claim 1 wherein the transporter assemblyincludes a base extending outwardly from the sides of the support panelassembly and mounting adjustable wheels thereon, the base beingattachable to the bottom of the outer frame.
 4. A support panel assemblyas in claim 1 wherein the support roller assembly is formed from a pairof rails secured together in spaced relation and sandwiching the bottomof the outer frame while also providing a support for rollers carriedthereby.
 5. A support panel assembly as in claim 1 wherein thestationary track has outwardly flaring bottom edges.
 6. A support panelassembly as in claim 1 wherein the outer frame and frame members includechannel shaped holding portions so that there are no substantial lateralprojections of the frames from the support panel faces.
 7. A supportpanel assembly as in claim 1 wherein the guide comprises a rollermounted on a shaft that is vertically movable on said outer frame.
 8. Asupport panel assembly as in claim 1 wherein a pair of transporterassemblies are removably secured to the outer frame at opposite sidesthereof.
 9. A support panel assembly as in claim 3 wherein thetransporter assembly further includes a pair of upwardly extendingbraces adapted to be secured to the side of the outer frame.